Frequent thief jailed

A P.E.I. woman who started the year with no criminal record was sentenced Thursday to eight months in jail on 15 charges.

Alicia Sheila Miller, 30, appeared before Judge John Douglas in provincial court in Charlottetown for sentencing after she pleaded guilty to charges that included eight thefts.

Miller sat at the defence table with her wrists and feet shackled, shaking as she cried into her hands while Douglas delivered her sentence.

The thefts spanned all three P.E.I. counties and amounted to more than $1,700 in lost merchandise.

Crown attorney Lisa Goulden read from the agreed statement of facts, detailing thefts of rum from stores in Charlottetown, Summerside and Morell. The other thefts included a barbecue from a Superstore, a mirror, tensioner and pulley from Canadian Tire.

She also stole from a Superstore in Summerside and Walmart in Charlottetown.

Miller also defrauded an acquaintance of $600 by getting her to cash a fraudulent cheque using the victim’s bank account.

In total, Miller pleaded guilty to eight thefts, three counts of failing to attend court, two breaches of an undertaking, one count of fraud and one breach of probation.

Goulden said a pre-sentence report prepared in May was described as negative.

Miller committed her offences in Charlottetown, Summerside and Kings County, Goulden said.

“She’s been covering the Island in her criminality.”

Miller spent 22 days in custody after her arrest and after credit for time served, she was left with seven months on her sentence still to serve.

Along with the jail time, Miller will be on probation for 15 months after her release and must pay more than $2,300 in restitution for the thefts and fraud.

Douglas also ordered Miller to pay $1,600 in victim surcharges.

During her probation Miller must stay away from the fraud victim and each of the businesses she stole from.